President: Vice President: No. 475 - June 2011 Simon Russell Beale CBE Nickolas Grace Price 50p when sold A Cause for Celebration at the Old Vic Betrayal. Envy. Adultery. Deceit. Murder. Judgement. These are the themes of the Terence Rattigan play Cause Celebre currently on at the Old Vic Theatre. Fortunately, after their matinee performance on the 23rd April, all was jovial conviviality as the cast of Cause Celebre joined Vic-Wells members for their annual Shakespeare’s Birthday Party. Simon Chandler, raising a toast to the Bard, entertained the guests with a speech full of Shakespearean references. Also present were Freddie Fox and Lucy Robinson (Tony Davenport and Stella Morrison in Cause Celebre) and Vic-Wells Vice president Simon Chandler proposes the toast Nickolas Grace. Ruth Jeayes excelled this year in her provision of an excellent buffet, much enjoyed by all. Everyone at the event wore a sprig of rosemary “for remembrance”. Although Rattigan wrote Cause Celebre in 1977, he chose to set the play in the 1930’s (when the sensational murder trial actually took place) thus writing a period piece through the lens of a different era. Niamh Cusack, who plays the fictional c h a r a c t e r E d i t h Davenport commented, “ Rattigan displays real, flesh and blood people who love, hate and feel jealous, who do and say terrible things they regret afterwards. We’ve all been there”. Niamh Cusack Anne-Marie Duff An n e-Marie Duff ’s memorable, poignant performance as accused m u r d e r e s s A l m a Rattenburry said, “ This play is about a trial, yet you feel as though every character is on trial in some way”. Cause Celebre is on at the Old Vic until 11 June. All party photos © Nick Panagakis Freddie Fox with Nickolas Grace Lucy Robinson Broadsheet editor, Marjory Agha & daughter, Sarah Vic-Wells members enjoying the party Information Request Janet Anderson is currently researching and writing the first biography of Rae Woodland and would like to hear from the distinguished soprano’s former Sadler’s Wells colleagues. Rae Woodland’s earliest contact with Sadler’s Wells was in June 1954 when she auditioned for Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute, with a further audition that October. She sang with the Company on quite a few occasions up to and around 1969. After her retirement from performing, Rae went on to become an internationally renowned voice coach. She is now 89 years of age. If you have any memories of Rae you wish to share please contact: Miss Janet Anderson, Staff Room 2, Blakeney Hotel, The Quay, Blakeney, HOLT NR25 7NE REHEARSALS AT SADLER’S WELLS LATE SPRING 2011 The next possible opportunities are: Hofesh Schechter Tuesday 12 July FELA! Wednesday 20 July Please confirm rehearsal times nearer the date with Richard Reavill, tel: 0149187 2574. He will inform automatically all those Members who are on the email list. If you have an email address and are not on Richard’s list please register with him at [email protected] Please arrive no later than 15mins before the rehearsal is due to start and pay £5 to the Committee member who will be present in the foyer before the rehearsal starts. ALL VIC-WELLS ANNUAL MEMBERS ARE REMINDED THAT THEIR SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE DUE FOR PAYMENT ON 1st JULY 2 Cleopatra Sadler’s Wells review by Laura Dodge Based in Leeds, Northern Ballet is best-known for its creation of innovative story ballets which are toured around the UK. Its vision is highly commendable; producing a regular stream of new and colourful ballets from Wuthering Heights to Madame Butterfly and Hamlet and bringing them to mass a u d i e n c e s i s n o s m a l l accomplishment. Passionate Their latest offering, the tale of A ncient Egyp t ian q ueen Cleopatra, is flashy but enjoyable. The complicated story of love, sex and murder is told succinctly and effectively. From Cleopatra’s marriage to her brother, through to her romances with Julius Caesar and Mark Anthony, the unremitting and dramatic action flows smoothly. Martha Leebolt was passionate and emblematic as the lead. Fresh from her award for Outstanding Classical Female Performance, she danced radiantly and was enticing to watch. Kenneth Tindall as Wadjet, the serpent-like god of pharaohs who guides Cleopatra through her Martha Leebolt and Javier Torres Photo: Helen Maybanks d e s t i n y , s i n u o u s l y a n d captivatingly slithered about the stage. The rest of the company also performed well – the army men were particularly unified and striking. Symbolic Choreographer and company director David Nixon uses a multiplicity of dance techniques – classical ballet and contemporary dance merge seamlessly into more surprising musical theatre style. His vision for the ballet is artistic and well-executed. Cleopatra and Caesar roll erotically in a length of white fabric, which when bundled, becomes a baby. Every gesture is imbued with meaning and dancers repeatedly strike powerful symbolic poses. Focus is on hands and wrists, which constantly meander and twine to make beautiful patterns. “This latest offering is flashy but enjoyable - not groundbreaking but well-danced” The brand new score by Claude-Michel Schönberg, composer of Les Misérables and Miss Saïgon, was a joy to listen to. Its grandeur and boldness contrasted with moments of quiet lyricism and perfectly suited the ballet’s dancing and story. Costumes by Christopher Giles were equally praiseworthy, evoking the Egyptian setting with glamour and style but still allowing dancers freedom of movement. All in all, Cleopatra is a lovely ballet, suitable for both seasoned ballet-goers as well as newcomers. It’s not groundbreaking, but it is well-danced, uncomplicated and fun – and certainly worth a pleasant evening’s viewing. 3 Out and about with Mary Jane Burcher LOVE NEVER DIES at the Adelphi Theatre Since I saw this spectacular Lloyd Webber musical, there have, thankfully, been a few changes made to the plot line. The script has been altered in that the character of the phantom does not appear at the beginning, as he does in the version I saw, and a different ending to the show has been written, much to its advantage. When I first saw this show, whilst greatly admiring the final score, the wonderful singing and the breathtaking scenes, the poor script was evident throughout. The Phantom himself is played by Ramin Karimloo, another fine singer, but in my view, not nearly creepy or dangerous enough for the role. The show has, undoubtedly, a bit of spectacle, a good story and beautiful singing. I have no doubt that Andrew Lloyd Webber will sort out the rest. Sierra Boggess & Ramin Karimloo Photo: Ian Gavan THE WIZARD OF OZ at the London Palladium Faultlessly in keeping to the original storyline, all characters are beautifully and skilfully portrayed. The tiny characters in Munchkinland are played by children and small dancers (no dwarves are used). Andrew Lloyd-Webber has made the part of the Wicked Witch of the West into a more significant character, thus emphasising the good versus evil elements of the story. Michael Crawford appears as the Wizard and seemingly has too little to do but, being Michael Crawford, works like the star he is and plays other small parts in the show. Danielle Hope was outstandingly good as Dorothy – the part means she hardly leaves the stage – and for a comparatively inexperienced actor she brings realism and warmth to the role. Hannah Waddingham brilliantly plays the Wicked Witch of the West with a show stealing song in the second half. Speaking to Michael Crawford after the show, he said he was easing himself gradually back into the West End theatre after his experience in playing the evil Count Foscoe in The Woman in White. During that show he had to wear an enormous, stifling, rubber suit for every performance and, as a result he collapsed and has been of action for a while. So it’s great to see him back! Do take your young friends to see The Wizard of Oz. They will always remember it. END OF THE RAINBOW at Trafalgar Studios Continuing the inadvertent ‘Lloyd Webber’ theme, The End of the Rainbow portrays the final weeks in the life of the legendary Judy Garland movingly played by Tracie Bennett. Her poignant performance captures Judy at her lowest, after a lifetime of drugs and alcohol - yet still her happy go lucky and relentlessly cheerful personality shines through. The show is set in the suite of a London hotel where Judy was staying whilst appearing at the famous Talk of the Town cabaret and, at times, shows a clever backcloth of a full orchestra taking us to the cabaret where she is belting out those so familiar songs she made her own. Her questionable fifth husband wasn’t helping matters as she veered from happiness to despair. I actually witnessed tears in the eyes of many in the audience, a testament to Tracie Bennett’s fine performance. 4 Richard III at the Old Vic Sam Mendes returns to the London stage to direct Old Vic Artistic Director Kevin Spacey in the title role of Richard III in the final season of “The Bridge Project”. This transatlantic endeavour reunites them for the first time since American Beauty, for which they both won BAFTA and ACADEMY Awards. Annabel Scholey will play the part of Lady Anne. Following its London run, Richard 111 will then embark on an international tour and play at BAM’s Harvey Theatre in New York from January to March 2012.